Flexible post or chain.



W. G. JONES. FLEXIBLE POST 0R CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1915.

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TED @TA'IWENT orrrcn WILLIAM GIFFORD JONES, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ACCOUNTING DEVICES COMPANY, OF EV ANSTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FLEXIBLE POST OR CHAIN.

Application filed November 10, 1915.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GIFFORD Jonas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Gookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flexible Posts or Chains, of which the following is a specification. I

The present invention relates particularly to a flexible post or chain, for use in looseleaf binders, or in analogous situations.

The primary object is to provide a chain of simple and cheap construction, which may be advantageously employed in looseleaf binders, such as, for instance, the looseleaf ledger described and claimed in United States Patent No. 1,155,067, granted September 28, 1915, on my application.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents a broken sectional view of a binder-frame equipped with my improved flexible post; Fig. 2, a sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a fragmentary view of the improved'chain; Fig. 4, a plan view of the same; Fig. 5, a plan view of one of the main links employed, and Fig. 6, an end View of the same.

In the construction illustrated, A, A represent the binding or clamping members of a loose-leaf binder; and B represents my improved chain post, or flexible post, applied thereto.

In a binder of the construction described in the above mentioned patent, clamping members of the binder have mounted therein right and left threaded screw-rods which are equipped with nuts, to which the extremities of the chain-post are attached. By this means, the chains may be taken up and placed under the desired tension after the leaves have been inserted in the binder.

In the accompanying drawing, each clamping member is shown provided with a screw-rod 1 equipped with a nut 2, to which the ends of the chain-p0st Bare secured. The end-portions of the chain-post extend about bearings 3 into the clamping members of the binder, as shown. Thechain comprises a series of main slotted rod-form links 4, and a series of flat links 5 connecting the links 4.

Each link 4 preferably comprises a short rod-section having a longitudinal groove 4* Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Serial No. 60,734.

milled in one side thereof; and the flanges formed by the milling operation are provided with two transverse sets of perforations l which receive the pivots 6. The ends 4 of each link 4; are inclined in the same dlrection with respect to the axis of the lmk. The shoulders 4 of the links abut aga nst each other when the chain. is stra ght, so that the chain canflex in one direction only about the pivots 6. The inclined shoulders 4 are adapted to give contlnulty of surface to the chain-post, so that the perforated leaves may slide freely on the post without danger of catching in the omts.

Each link 5 is flat and of suitable thickness to fit snugly within the groove i without, however, interfering with the freedom of the flexing of the chain in the one directlon in which it is intended to be flexed. Each link 5 has its ends rounded, as indicated at 5*; and each link 5 preferably has its outer lateral edge provided with a slight curved recess 5 Thus, each link 5 has at one lateral edge the slightly raised curved pro ections 5 flanking the recess 5". The curved portions 5 preferably project very sllghtly above the edges of the flanges formed by the slot 4*. The purpose is to facilitate the sliding of the chain over the curved bearings 3.

It will be noted that the construction is such that the chain-post can be flexed in one direction only; and as a pair of chains is ordinarily employed in each binder in such manner that the chains are in reversed relation, the efl'ect is to maintain the loose-leaves securely in a non-shiftable position in the binder. Preferably, the end links of the chain-post are similar to the links 4, but provided at one end with a projection or stem 4 by means of which the extremity of the chain is securely attached to the nut 52. In the illustration given, the stem l is threaded and equipped with a nut 4 It will be understood from Fig. 2 that the improved chain-post is of substantially circular cross-section; and it will be further understood from the description given that the loose-leaves can be slid upon the chainpost without danger of catching in the joints. It may be added that the links 4; may be cheaply formed, either by a dropforging process, or by milling a rod of suitable length longitudinally and then cutting "'3' be construed as broadly as permissible, in

view of the prior art.

NVhat I regard as new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is

1. A chain-post of the character set forth, comprising a series of grooved rod-form links having abutting end-shoulders, a series of flat links housed in the grooves of said first-named links, and pivots connecting said links.

2. A chain-post of the character set forth, comprising a series of rod-form links having abutting inclined ends and provided at one side with a longitudinal groove, a series of flat links housed in said groove, and pivotal connections between said links.

3; A chain-post of the character set forth, comprising a series of links having abutting endsshoulders formed to afford an overlap and give continuity of surface, said links having grooves at one side, a series of flat links housed in said grooves, and pivots connecting said links.

at. A chain-post of the character set forth, comprising a seriesof rod-form links having inclined abutting ends and provided at one side with longitudinal grooves, a series of flat links housed in said grooves and having curved edge-portions projecting beyond the edges of the flanges of said first-named links, and pivots connecting said links.

WILLIAM GIFFORD JONES.

In presence of L. HEISLER, C. .C. BREUER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

washin tonm. c." r 

